40 nursing students test COVID-19 positive, college sealed in Karnataka

Forty nursing students fromneighbouring Kerala have tested positive for COVID-19,prompting authorities to seal their college here as aprecautionary measure on Wednesday, official sources said.

The direction to seal the Aaliyah Institute of Nursing atUllal in coastal Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka,bordering Kerala, was given by the city municipality.

Municipal Commissioner Rayappa said 40 students fromKerala studying in the college tested positive for COVID-19after which the district health officer, nodal officer andhimself visited the college and issued the order.

The area has been sealed and other students have beenisolated from the infected, he said.

The step has been taken as a precautionary measure andpeople need not panic, Rayyappa added.

All students from Kerala, which is still witnessing highcaseload compared to several other states, including Karnatakaand Tamil Nadu, have been directed to take the mandatoryCOVID-19 test before attending college.